The Ohio Sci-Fi and Horror Marathons

True. I haven't given too much thought to the lineup, but I like to put a Darko plug in there. Bruce does a better job than I would, so I have started just defering to his vast wisdom.

I did see Logan's Run is going to be on the small screen on TCM, I think this Saturday. Actually there are a bunch of SciFi films slated for Saturday on TCM.

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The wages of sin are royalties.

I could echo the lists of recommended films ad nauseum, but instead I'll throw in a suggestion of a different sort.

Surprises. The CWRU marathon every year has a couple of surprise films that they don't announce before-hand. Sometimes they're good, sometimes they're bad, but it's always fun to have something sprung on you last minute.

Granted, our marathon is short enough that you may not want to do more than one, but heck ... pick something we're not expecting, then don't tell us about it.

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David A. Zecchini; Creature of the Wheel, Lord of the Infernal Engines
"Damnati Im Ludum" (VitruvianZeke@att.net)

It's a great suggestion! And I'd love to do it. I'd even want to call it the Dave & Jen Surprise of the Year or something in that vein to honor the great work they do maintaining this website. The problem is that we're no longer selling out the 755 seat Drexel North. So when we have a film we're delighted to show, we need to advertise that we've got it to sell tickets. We may get back to that level of enthusiasm once again now that we've got a (hopefully) permanent home in the Drexel Gateway. Would a holding back the title of one film be a plus or minus to the ticket buyer on the fence? It might take a few years of great surprises to build any kind of expectation.

Back in Boston in 1986 I tried to make the entire schedule a surprise. In those days we usually had sold out both the 400 and 200+ seat theatres a month in advance, before any of the titles were announced, so it was mainly a test of the trust of the hardcore regulars. They were neither trusting nor amused. We announced the titles and never tried that again, but one title might be palatable.

Actually, wasn't The Abyss a surprise film of sorts a couple of years ago?

I know 2000 Leagues Under the Sea Was and so Was Army of Darkness at the 1st SHOCKTOBERFEST at the Grandview.

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Jaws3dfan®
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True points on ticket sales and such. As I say, I doubt more than one would be to our advantage. But remember that the surprise doesn't HAVE to be big-ticket or heavy draw. Camp and schlock work nicely for a surprise, too. I have to say that my favorite surprise at CWRU was "Dark Star", and I'm not sure that having that on the program would have made much of a difference in ticket sales. But hey, it's all good .

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David A. Zecchini; Creature of the Wheel, Lord of the Infernal Engines
"Damnati Im Ludum" (VitruvianZeke@att.net)

While we're on the subject of Cronenberg, it's been a while since eXistenZ was shown. I'm watching it in HD right now and digging the heck out of it. Kind of kicking myself for not watching it sooner.

Also, as schlocky fun, is there a print of SPACEHUNTER: THE FORBIDDEN ZONE or METALSTORM: THE DESTRUCTION OF JARED SYN in 3D floating around? Does the Gateway even have the capability to show polarized 3D?

How about BRAZIL? Or is that too close to current events?

Bruce, you'd be my hero if you got a hold of a print of STARCRASH. The trailer you show every year is the bomb. You can't get enough of Marjoe Gortner, I always say.

BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS! I was so shocked that Richard Thomas didn't have a lasting career as a SciFi hero after this one!

I know it's not really SciFi but as a Fantasy film, LABYRINTH would be teh BOMB!!!

Oh, and CAFE FLESH. (teehee)

Starcrash or Labryinth would be AWESOME! Not sure if there are prints, but if there are, we should get them.

I think we are too close to the last exhibition of Existenz (8 years), but Brazil...I don't, maybe. That was 11 years ago, I usually am a fan of 12 to 15 years between repeats, but Brazil happens to be one of my favorite films. Hey wait, we HAVE NEVER SHOWN 12 MONKEYS! I'm not sure I would play Brazil until 12 Monkeys has shown.

I can't plug that film enough. I should start a campaign.

It would be fantastic to have Fritz, the Night Owl as our guest! I still have one of his postcards that he autographed for me.

Forgot to mention. I too have a soft spot for Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone, probably because I saw it when I was about 13 or 14 years old. Starcrash is another one that I would like to see. I have never seen it, but the trailer looks fantastic!

If there was any possible way for the Gateway to project a 3-D movie SpaceHunter would ROCK!!!

But I know technically it's a long shot, without a silver screen they would have to crank up the wattage on the bulb and figure out a way to retro fit the 80's polarized lens to fit a 2007ish projector.

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Jaws3dfan®
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On the subject of surprises, 20000 Leagues was a surprise because Disney didn't want it advertised and The Abyss was a last minute replacement for Rollerball. The Dark Half was also a surprise because it was a last minute booking. As a die hard marathon goer, I would love a couple surprise films, but the Host Organism makes a great point about ticket sales. I think if you had 5 or 6 real juicy advertisable films, then there would be room for a surprise.
When I started going to these things before the internet exploded on American culture, the pre-show flyers only had 7 or 8 films listed, usually 1 or 2 of which get the boot, so we didn't know half of the program until Saturday morning. It was exciting for me, but I don't think it would work in today's world.
From what I read on the website, the "surprises" in Cleveland are usually uninteresting stuff like XMen The Last Stand. (Which, don't get me wrong I liked, but don't care to see it in a marathon lineup the year after it's release).

Of course, there have also been cases where pre-advertising worked against us. Like the year when we had the World Premeire of MST3K the Movie that the studio backed out on if I remember correctly because it was pre advertised.

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Aliens? Us?
Is this one of your Earth "jokes?"

I just checked th Boston website and they just got ROBOCOP, so at least we know there is a print available.

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Aliens? Us?
Is this one of your Earth "jokes?"

In my capacity as "Noted Marathon Historian" (check the program) I must point out that if by pre-internet days you mean pre-1993, then your memory has taken one too many blasts from the old laser gun. I hold in my hands (visualize it, all of you out there in cyberspaceland) the advance fliers for the first five editions of IT CAME FROM THE DREXEL NORTH, all of which have nearly the entire lineups printed and described.

The flier for the 3rd NIGHT OF THE LIVING DREXEL only listed seven or eight of the films, with promises of more premieres to come. But it's only been recently that SF Marathon handbills have hit the street with only half the lineup.

And I mean that in the best possible way, Bruce. Please don't revoke my security clearance! The pancake buffet backstage at the Gateway is too good for me to miss.

Last time we tried Battle Beyond the stars, it waged a battle with the projector and firefighting equipment.

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The wages of sin are royalties.